A Porch Floor…again.

A week ago, I had no plans to remove the non-original flooring on the second-floor porch.

Then because I needed to do some other work on the house, on thing led to another, and I was surprised that the porch floor suddenly became A Current Project.

All old house owners know of this phenomenon.

A week ago, I had presumed that the original porch floor was simply hiding under the later floor. I had anticipated at some point in the distant future removing the non-original flooring, to find the 1894 porch floor in pristine condition, needing but a gentle cleaning after being buried for perhaps a century.

But, after removing the non-original floor, we found no original flooring.

It turns out that the original flooring had been ABOVE the later flooring, and was ripped out to install the latter.

Oh.

However, we discovered EXACTLY where the original flooring had been, because it tucked up under extant trim. And I do love extant trim. All old house owners know of this special love.

And today, after having gone missing since either 1929, or 1950, the porch floor is (drum roll, please) once again back in its original location and height:

Whoee!!!!!!!! The new plywood tucked under the same trim that the 1894 flooring did. The whole floor tilts towards a drain in the SE corner. I will carefully caulk the edges, sand the whole, and paint it dark green or something. As I have zero idea of what the original flooring material was, my solution (plywood!) will have to suffice.

You can see how the floor is, as it was 122-years ago, about 6-inches above the floor of the Sewing Room. Originally, this would not have been noticeable, because one originally crawled through a window in this location to access the porch. Later, the window was transformed into a door.

The porch is the only part of the house retaining 122-years of old paint. The rest of the exterior was stripped of paint by the previous owner, Bob Rodak. Thank God. Overlooking the porch is a bathroom window. You can see its sill here.

In removing the non-original door trim between the Sewing Room and porch, this outline was discovered! This is the precise location of the lost original window sill. And, soon, the sill be be recreated!!!!!!!!

2 Responses to A Porch Floor…again.

I think exterior grade t&g boards, painted battleship grey was what was there. Maybe it was covered with terne coated steel, painted. It would certainly be waterproof and durable, and would be installed over rosin paper.